The Day The World Stopped
by WriterOnWheels
Summary: Troy and Gabriella had it all. Friends, love, a daughter. Then 911 tore it all apart. Troy reflects on how that tragic day changed the East High Gang on the 5th anniversary. All characters will eventually make an appearance, but mostly Troycentric.
1. I Wish I Could Forget

**A/N: This is my first fanfic, so be gentle. Constructive criticism is always welcome. Now for the standard disclaimers: I don't own High School Musical…if I did, it wouldn't be appropriate for Disney;). I'm a poor college graduate who still has to pay for a Masters Degree so, in a nutshell, PLEASE don't sue me. Ok, since that's out of the way here are a few things important to understanding the story.**

**1. This is a reflective story, meaning that some of it is written in the present but most of it will be told as a flashback. When it gets to be time for the flashback, I'll put a so you all know. The story will be told from Troy's point of view unless otherwise noted. All of his thoughts will be in italics. **

**2. For the sake of the story, let's assume that Albuquerque and the East Coast are in the same time zone. It's the only way I could get the story to work. **

**Thanks for reading this hideously long author's note. And now…on to the story. **

**Story © 2007 by WriterOnWheels. **

The Day the World Stopped 

_September 11, 2006_

I woke to find sunshine streaming through my window and sighed inwardly. Normally I loved the sunny days of early fall in Albuquerque; they were great for playing a late afternoon game of Horse with the guys or watching an early-season football game with my Dad. But not today. This day was not worthy of sunshine, and as far as I was concerned, this date would never be worthy of it again. Mother Nature must not have gotten the memo that only rain would be appropriate for today, if for no other reason than to match the tears that would undoubtedly be falling from my eyes all day.

I blinked and closed my eyes in a desperate attempt to return to the slumber I had been enjoying before the sunlight made its presence known. After all, if I slept all day I wouldn't have to think; if I didn't have to think I wouldn't have to remember. Remember the day I became a single parent at the age of 18; the day I lost the thing that mattered most in my life next to my daughter. The day I lost my best friend, my love…my Gabriella.

Today was September 11th and it was the five year anniversary of the day my life changed…the day my world stopped.

Realizing that my attempts at sleep were futile, I got out of bed and quickly dressed in my favorite Diesel jeans and a comfortable t-shirt, a nice change of pace from the dress shirt and pants I normally wore to work. I was in my first year as a science teacher and assistant basketball coach at East High. I loved my job, but there would be no work for me today. Ever since that fateful Tuesday this day had become one of remembrance and reflection for my little girl and me. I took off work or skipped class and kept her home from school every year so that we could be together and remember Gabriella without having to face the choruses of "I'm so sorry" or "Are you OK?" that we knew would come if we went about our normal routine. And, in spite of the pain, I always tried to make this day fun for us; I didn't want it to be overtaken by sadness. That's not what Gabi would have wanted.

After I finished getting ready for the day I tiptoed softly down the hall to the room where my daughter slept. Standing in the doorway I watched her sleep, one arm laying protectively over Spot, the giant stuffed dog that had been a constant sleeping companion ever since Uncle Chad had won him for her at a carnival a few years ago. My precious Kaidrie Grace. She was eight now, but as I stood there in the doorway, my mind wandered back to the day she was born.

**A/N (again, sorry): So...this was intended to be a oneshot but now I think it would work better if I split it into a few chapters. Since I've decided to do that, I will put a mini-synopsis of the previous chapter at the beginning of each new one so nobody gets confused. That's a wrap on Chapter 1. Reviews would be great! Thanks!**


	2. Memories

**A/N: Thank you so much to my reviewers. I was expecting maybe one or two reviews and was thrilled to find five when I checked this morning. Keep them coming please! Also, I'm honored that some of you put me on your Favorite Stories/Favorite Authors lists. This is the first time I have so openly shared any of my writing, and it is very gratifying to know that people are enjoying it. Ok, now a few things of importance for this chapter. **

**1. I've put a little flashback from Chapter 1 in italics at the beginning of this chapter so no one gets confused. Remember, other things in italics in the chapter are Troy's thoughts. **

**2. Some of you commented that the first chapter was really sad and I hope it didn't turn anyone off to reading further. I'm not usually known for writing light/fluffy fics, sadness is what I've found I write best. But, I've tried to inject some fluffiness and humor into this chapter. It was getting pretty emotional and difficult to write all that sad stuff. **

**And now…on with the story. **

_Looking Back On Chapter 1: _

_After I finished getting ready for the day I tiptoed softly down the hall to the room where my daughter slept. Standing in the doorway I watched her sleep, one arm laying protectively over Spot, the giant stuffed dog that had been a constant sleeping companion ever since Uncle Chad had won him for her at a carnival a few years ago. My precious Kaidrie Grace. She was eight now, but as I stood there in the doorway, my mind wandered back to the day she was born._

Chapter 2: Memories

Flashback

"Push sweetheart" I urged Gabi as her grip tightened on my already-throbbing hand.

"I can't Troy, I can't…it hurts so much!" she sobbed, tears cascading out of her deep brown eyes.

I felt hopeless, lost. My girlfriend was hurting and, for the first time, I couldn't do anything to take the pain away. The obstetrician, Dr. Miller, strolled in and smiled sympathetically at me as he caught sight of the scared look on my face. Kneeling down, he examined Gabi and then stood so he could glove up and prepare for the delivery. As he stood putting on his gown he turned his attention to Gabi who was screaming again as the pain of another contraction wracked her body.

"Everything looks great Gabriella" he said, "two more pushes and you will have a baby."

I leaned in and kissed her forehead, running my free hand through her hair in an attempt to comfort her. "Did you hear that, baby?" I cooed "two more and you're gonna be a mommy!" For the first time in hours, she smiled. As for me, I was waging an inner-battle with myself as the realization hit me full force. _Oh crap, two more pushes and I'm gonna be a Daddy! They don't cover this in all those blasted parenting books our parents made us read!! What do I do?!? _I turned my eyes upward and said a silent prayer: _God if you're listening PLEASE don't let me screw this up. _

I was suddenly jolted back into reality by Gabi's high-pitched scream. I tightened my grip on her hand and lowered my head to look into her eyes, but I was distracted as I watched Dr. Miller stand up from his place at the end of the bed. He was cradling a tiny baby in his arms. My baby. Our baby. _Oh my God. _

The next words out of the doctor's mouth changed my life forever.

"Troy, Gabriella congratulations" Dr. Miller said, "you have a beautiful new daughter."

_A baby girl…I have a daughter. _That thought kept repeating itself in my head as nurses weighed and tended to my little girl who, by now, was making her displeasure with all of the activity well-known with cries that seemed to get louder by the second. Before long a nurse walked over to place the baby on Gabriella's chest; she calmed almost instantly as her mother rubbed her back and whispered soothing words to her.

"Shhh baby, it's okay. Mommy and Daddy are here." Gabriella whispered. Hearing her call me Daddy made it all the more real. I actually had to stop myself from reaching out and taking the baby from her. I was afraid if I held her I'd never let go of her again. Noticing my excitement, Gabi smiled.

"Wanna hold her, Daddy?" she asked, lifting her arms so I could easily take the baby from them.

I eased myself back into the chair at Gabriella's bedside, careful not to disturb the angel that lay nestled in my arms. I wanted to talk to her; let her know how beautiful and precious I thought she was but the words never came. For the first time in my life, I Troy Bolton, was totally and completely speechless. I gazed down at her, taking in her features. She had a small patch of dark brown hair and the cutest little button nose. When I glanced down into her eyes I felt like I was looking in the mirror; she had my electric blue eyes. She was beautiful. She was perfect. She was mine…and it was the best feeling in the world. I leaned down to place a soft kiss on her feather-soft cheek and, as I did so, I saw her pretty blue eyes flutter shut. My girl was tired.

"Sleep well, little angel" I cooed, "Daddy loves you."

And I meant every word, I did love her. So much.

My quiet moment with her ended when Dr. Miller strolled back into the room, a big grin gracing his features. He looked at Gabi and I expectantly before speaking.

"So kids, does the little princess have a name yet?"

I looked at Gabriella questioningly and she nodded. It had nearly taken us her entire pregnancy to come up with a name we both agreed on. I turned my attention back to the doctor; I could only imagine what the smile on my face looked like.

"Dr. Miller" I started "I'd like you to meet Kaidrie Grace Bolton, future point guard for the East High Lady Wildcats." By this point, the grin on my face was so wide my cheeks ached.

The doctor laughed and walked towards the door. "I'll let your families know they can come in." he said before closing the door quietly.

As I turned my head away from the direction of the door I locked eyes with Gabi; her eyes were moist with tears and she was trying furiously to wipe them away. I carefully rose from the chair, ever so careful not to wake Kaidrie, and moved over to the bed. Leaning down I placed a kiss on Gabi's lips, an unsuccessful attempt to stop the tears falling from her eyes.

"Baby, don't cry…it's over" I soothed.

She gave me a watery smile. "No Troy" she said softly, "these are happy tears."

Our tender moment was interrupted as the door to the room flew open and our parents burst in, with Chad, Taylor, Kelsi, Sharpay, and Ryan following close behind. I put a finger to my lips to shush them, motioning with my eyes to the sleeping baby in my arms. Mrs. Montez went straight over to hug Gabi and my parents and friends gathered around me, staring in awe at Kaidrie.

"Everyone" I started "I'd like to introduce you to Miss Kaidrie Grace Bolton…Kadi for short" My Dad was the first to find his voice.

"There's my little point guard" he cooed, "Troy she's beautiful." I just smiled. Each of our parents and friends took turns holding the baby. Eventually it was Sharpay's turn and as Ryan placed Kadi in her arms, I thought I saw a tear escape her eye. _Oh, this is gonna be good. _I cleared my throat and everyone eyed me expectantly.

"Excuse me everyone I would just like to announce that Sharpay Evans, Ice Queen extraordinaire, does indeed have a heart…she's crying." Laughter filled the room as Sharpay used her free hand to whack me in the head with her purse.

"Owww!! Geez Sharpay, do you keep rocks in that thing? That really hurt!" I yelped.

She laughed, obviously satisfied with the pain she had inflicted. "I will get you back Troy Bolton…bet on it."

I was plotting my next move when a shrill cry caught my attention. I looked down to Sharpay's arms and saw Kadi crying, getting louder by the second. I scooped her up and moved back toward the chair, casting an evil glance in Sharpay's direction. She just looked at me apologetically. I sat down again, running one of my fingers across Kadi's cheek soothingly.

"Shhhh babygirl, Daddy and Aunt Sharpay are sorry" I cooed softly "Go back to sleep." After a few minutes her breathing steadied itself and her eyes slipped closed.

Soon, our families and friends left for the night, leaving Gabi and I alone once again with our little princess. It didn't take long for Gabi to fall asleep but I couldn't even dream of it. I was exhausted, but the adrenaline running through my veins from the excitement of the day kept me from surrendering to sleep. So, I sat there with my daughter carefully cradled against my chest watching my girls sleep. I smiled. This had been the best day of my life.

End Flashback

I smiled at the memory, taking my hand off the doorframe for a second to wipe away a stray tear that was making its way down my cheek. In some ways that day seemed so long ago, in others it felt like just yesterday. It had been hard at first, after all Gabi and I were only 15 when our little bundle of joy arrived. We were young and in love and even though we were careful, we still found ourselves becoming parents before we had even finished our freshman year at East High. When Gabi first told me she was pregnant I almost bailed; scared that this baby would put a wrench in my Dad's plans to mold me into East High's basketball star and send me off to college on a scholarship. But Gabi drug me kicking and screaming to her first ultrasound; bound and determined that we were going to keep this baby and raise it together. From the moment I saw that little blip on the ultrasound screen I didn't need anymore convincing. I was in love and suddenly basketball didn't seem so important anymore.

Our parents reacted to the news of their impending grandparenthood quite well, surprisingly. Of course they were slightly disappointed that we were becoming parents at such a young age but they had made no secret that they wanted grandchildren from us eventually so, for them, it was just happening a little earlier than expected. My parents bought us a cute little starter house right next door to theirs so we could have our own space. They visited often and our friends, Sharpay included, fought over who was going to come over and babysit whenever I had a game or Gabriella to practice for the Scholastic Decathalon. Many days I would open the door with Kadi in my arms to find all five of them on the front porch, still arguing over whose turn it actually was to look after her. I would usher them all inside, kiss my daughter goodbye, and carefully lay her in someone's arms. Usually Ryan won the coveted honor of holding the baby; Kadi had taken to him almost immediately from the very first time he held her in the hospital. After I made sure she was nestled comfortably in Uncle Ryan's arms I would grab my duffel bag and head for the door, but not before uttering the phrase that earned me countless glares from my four friends whose arms were empty.

"Guys, don't fight…the baby is sleeping" I always chuckled at the reaction my smartass comment brought from them as I closed the door and left my five best friends to dote on my baby girl. Even though they probably continued bickering after I left each night, I knew that my daughter couldn't be in better hands. Each of them loved her as if she were their own child. I know it sounds incredibly cliché, but Gabi and I were living the perfect life. Until that day when life as I had once known it ceased to exist.

Willing thoughts of that day to leave my head I walked quietly into Kadi's room, stopping when I reached her bed. God she looked like her mother. Her dark brown hair was a mess, strewn all over the pillow in every conceivable direction. She looked so peaceful laying there lost in the depths of dreamland. Leaning down over her, I gently brushed a chunk of hair away from her face and then moved my hand to caress her cheek, just as I had done to calm her in the hospital eight short years ago.

"Daddy?" she sighed. Her eyes never opened as she cuddled closer to Spot and repositioned herself so she could sleep more comfortably.

I smiled and leaned further down to kiss her cheek. "Hi baby" I whispered "Go back to sleep, you have a few more hours until breakfast time."

With one last kiss I turned and walked out of her bedroom, casting one last glance at the sleeping angel who was a spitting image of her Mommy. Feeling tears sting the back of my eyes for the first of what was sure to be a thousand times today, I quickly took to the stairs. I was ready to face the day…or at least I had to keep telling myself that.

**A/N ( I know, they're annoying): I just wanted to say that I know I made Troy and Gabriella really young parents. I know it might seem odd (and so very un-Disney-like) but it was the only way I could get the story to work the way I wanted it to. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, I had so much fun writing it! Reviews would be great…thanks!**


	3. Breaking

**A/N: Continued thanks to my reviewers, we're up to seven reviews now. Please keep them coming I appreciate them so much! Now, on to the important info for this chapter. **

**1. Per usual, a flashback from Chapter 2 is in italics at the beginning of this chapter. Everything else in italics is Troy's thoughts.**

**2. I'd suggest tissues for this one. This chapter was even hard for me to write; I kept picturing Troy in my head. I hope this chapter doesn't turn anyone away. **

**And now…on with the story.**

_Looking Back on Chapter 2:_

_With one last kiss I turned and walked out of her bedroom, casting one last glance at the sleeping angel who was a spitting image of her Mommy. Feeling tears sting the back of my eyes for the first of what was sure to be a thousand times today, I quickly took to the stairs. I was ready to face the day…or at least I had to keep telling myself that. _

Chapter 3: Breaking

As my feet came down from the last step I glanced at the clock on the wall. The sun was blinding through the bay window but according to the trusty old timepiece it was only 7:30. Normally at this time of the morning I would be trying to get my first period Physical Science class to pay attention to my lecture; most of them too tired or too distracted by their raging hormones to care. Standing in the middle of the living room, it suddenly dawned on me…it was too quiet. I wasn't used to quiet, all my life my I had been surrounded by noise; the chatter of the team, the talking of my friends, the cries or happy laughter of my daughter. Quiet didn't sit well with me under the best of circumstances, but today it was deafening. It took every ounce of willpower I possessed not to march back up the stairs and carry my sleeping girl down to the living room with me, hoping that the sound of her rhythmic breathing as she slept would calm me down. As I had done so my times since her birth I was waging an inner-battle; finally reasoning with myself that it was best to leave her upstairs. _The Princess needs her beauty sleep. _

Alone, I walked over to the couch and reached for the remote, finding relief from the silence in the one thing I had vowed never to watch on this date again. The TV. I flipped idly through the channels hoping to find something that would entertain me without making me put my brain to work at this early hour. I wanted MTV, mindless music videos seemed like the perfect solution, but my channel surfing stopped cold as I came upon CNN. There it was, the image I had been trying to erase from my memory for the past five years…the burning Twin Towers. I cursed inwardly, angry with myself for not being able to turn the channel and stop the overwhelming pain and sense of dread that was settling in my heart.

_Fuck. I knew they were going to re-air the coverage from that day and I don't want to watch it…but I can't turn away. _

Glancing at the clock again I noticed that it read 8:46; the first plane had just hit. As I continued to watch the Towers burn, the silence that I had been so desperate to escape from suddenly seemed to become the key to my survival. I switched off the TV, finally finding the strength to put an end to my misery. Falling against the couch, I finally broke. Clutching a pillow to my chest and closing my eyes, all I could do was whimper and sob as the tears I had been fighting all morning fell in rivers down my cheeks. _God I missed her so much. _

I had been only been crying for a few minutes when I was jolted from my thoughts by the ringing phone. I stood quickly and ran to the kitchen to answer it before it interrupted Kadi's peaceful slumber. Reaching for the receiver, I used my other hand to wipe away the tears that were still falling. Drawing in a deep breath as I tried to regain my composure I lifted the receiver to my ear.

"Hello?"

"Troy" I recognized the familiar voice of Sharpay, "How are you?"

"I'm good, Sharpay. Kadi's still asleep and I'm just sitting in the living room enjoying the--" an exasperated sigh from the other end of the line cut me off. _Busted. _

"Troy you were never a good liar so don't try. How are you really doing?"

_Damn it. I really don't want to start crying again but, aside from Gabriella and Chad, Sharpay knows me best. She can see right through me. _

"I watched it, Shar." I choked out, feeling a new batch of tears start to fall.

Her normally curt voice softened. "What did you watch, sweetheart?"

"CNN." The sharp intake of breath I heard told me that she knew exactly where I was going with this. Anybody with a TV would know; CNN had been publicizing their plans to re-air the coverage for weeks.

"Why did you do it?" she asked quietly.

"I didn't mean to, it was just too quiet and I wanted MTV...but then I saw it and I couldn't make myself turn the channel." I was sobbing loudly now, shoulders heaving and my breathing had been reduced to short, painful gasps. Surprisingly I could still hear Sharpay as she tried her best to calm me over the phone.

"Troy listen to me" she soothed, "Ryan and I just landed, we'll be at your house in an hour; until then DO NOT watch TV." I loved my friends, they all flew in every year on the anniversary to be with Kadi and I and do their best to keep me calm.

I sighed, tired and sore from all the crying. "Ok."

"Troy William Bolton I'm not kidding. Don't think I won't go all Ice Queen on you if I find out you even went near that TV."

For the first time all morning, I laughed. "Oh, I'm so scared Shar." I mocked.

"Good you should be" she sounded pleased with herself, "See you soon."

After we hung up I walked to the counter and started to make a pot of coffee, the caffeine addict in me desperate for his morning fix. It wasn't long before I heard footsteps on the stairs; my daughter appearing in the doorway a few seconds later.

"There's my Kadi girl" I greeted her "Good morning, baby."

She smiled and ran into my open arms for her morning hug. "Morning Daddy."

Normally our morning hugs were quick, both of us in a rush to get ready for work and school. But today I held her a little longer, reveling in her little girl scent that had become such a part of my life that I stole her shampoo whenever I had to go out of town without her. I always told her I did it because I had run out of my own but in truth, I just wanted to have a reminder of her nearby while I was away. Not that I could ever forget her…the little girl in my arms had become my everything the moment I first laid eyes on her. _My everything. _

Kadi broke the hug after a few minutes, taking a place at the counter as she watched me finish making the coffee.

"You know baby, Aunt Sharpay called awhile ago, I started "she's gonna be here in a little bit with Uncle Ryan and I bet they haven't eaten…what should we make for breakfast?"

Her response was what I expected, yet no matter how many times she said it, my breath never failed to catch in my throat.

"Bacon-eggs and pancakes Daddy" she replied. _Gabi's favorite_.

I could feel the sobs threatening again but they were quickly pushed aside as the sound of Kadi's laughter filled my ears, doing wonders to mend my shattered heart. Maybe I truly was ready to face the day.

**A/N (again, I know): I just wanted to be clear. I have nothing against CNN for re-airing the 9/11 coverage, I actually watched it. I just used it for effect. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, despite the sadness. It might be awhile before I update…I'm still working out the next chapter in my head. Until then, keep the reviews coming. Thanks!**


	4. Mommy

**A/N: Ok, so I lied. Here's another update…I just can't stay away from this story. Many thanks to my reviewers for last chapter, keep 'em comin'. Ok, a few notes:**

**1. I envisioned this as a short filler chapter, obviously it got away from me. **

**2. Grab the tissues. I'm not kidding this time. This was a tough one to write. **

**3. I changed things up a bit this chapter, some of it is from Ryan's point of view. You'll know when the switch happens. **

**And now…on with the story. **

_Looking Back on Chapter 3:_

"_You know baby, Aunt Sharpay called awhile ago, I started "she's gonna be here in a little bit with Uncle Ryan and I bet they haven't eaten…what should we make for breakfast?" _

_Her response was what I expected, yet no matter how many times she said it, my breath never failed to catch in my throat. _

"_Bacon-eggs and pancakes Daddy" she replied. Gabi's favorite._

_I could feel the sobs threatening again but they were quickly pushed aside as the sound of Kadi's laughter filled my ears, doing wonders to mend my shattered heart. Maybe I truly was ready to face the day. _

Chapter 4: Mommy

Once the menu for our morning feast had been chosen, we set to work making the food. I was stationed at the stove tending to the four pans of scrambled eggs that would be necessary to feed my friends; Kadi, still not quite tall enough to see over the counter, was perched on a stepstool furiously stirring a gigantic bowl of pancake batter. One thing was for sure; even though we were getting older we all ate like pigs whenever we got together. Just like high school. _Gosh now I feel bad for all those times my Mom fed us, I need to thank her for that later. _As we cooked Kadi and I talked about one of our shared passions: sports. My allegiance laid with the San Francisco 49'ers but Chad, obviously searching for a way to get under my skin, had turned my precious daughter into a Pittsburgh Steelers fan.

"You know Kadi" I started, laughing "one of these days your Steelers are gonna go down."

_Oh if looks could kill I'd so be dead right now. Wow my girl has that glare down to a science. _

"What's your record?" she shot back. _Damn, I hate it when she's right. _

I suddenly found myself becoming very interested in the eggs still cooking on the stove. "2-2." I mumbled, hoping that she hadn't heard me.

A grin spread across her face as she looked away from the pancakes. "Your team sucks, Daddy."

_Ouch. That hurt…score one for the eight year-old. _

Stunned, I looked at her incredulously. "Kaidrie Grace who taught you that word?" But I knew the answer before she even said it.

She wouldn't meet my eyes as she mumbled "Uncle Chad."

_Ok, I really need to stop letting her watch football with him. She's gonna know more trash talk than I do before she's a teenager. _

My thoughts were interrupted by her soft, sad voice. "Are you mad at me, Daddy?" I could see a few tears starting to fall from her eyes.

_No, not the tears! I am officially an idiot. Ugh. Man does this child know how to tug at my heartstrings. _

Turning away from the stove I walked over to the stepstool and hugged her from behind, my arms tightly gripping her waist. Turning my head, I placed a soft kiss on her damp cheek.

" Baby don't cry, I'm not mad" I promised, "Just don't say it again okay."

She smiled, an evil glint in her eye. "Okay…but the 49'ers are still horrible."

_I hate Chad so much right now. He's corrupted my poor child. _

I moved one hand and began to tickle her stomach, using the other to hold her in place so she didn't fall off the stool. "I dare you to say that again, munchkin."

She was laughing hysterically now, trying desperately to wriggle out of my grasp. "Daddy STOP!!!"

Our playful moment was cut short as the sound of the doorbell reverberated through the kitchen. Before I could even move Kadi was off the stool and running as fast as her little feet could carry her toward the front door. I caught up with her just as she flung it open, revealing Chad, or more specifically, Chad's hair. As he hugged Kadi and walked inside I pointed a finger at him accusingly.

Confused, he held his hands up defensively. "Whatever it is I swear I didn't do it."

I laughed, shouldering him hard as I walked past him to join Kadi at the door. Standing back, I watched as she hugged Taylor, Kelsi, and Sharpay in turn. When Sharpay moved to walk inside my little girl's grin became bright enough to light a room as she took off, running full speed into Ryan's arms. He took a step back to catch her and instantly hoisted her onto his hip.

"Hi sweetheart" he smiled. "How's my girl?" I think his grin was almost as big as hers. Almost.

She was already chattering away to him and he was laughing as she recounted all the events that had happened in her life since they had last seen each other at Easter. I loved watching the two of them together. She had always adored him, probably from the first moment he held her in the hospital, and from the look on his face I could tell the feeling was mutual. _The two best friends were reunited. _

After watching the joyful reunion for a few more minutes I clapped my hands to get everyone's attention, realizing that the food was probably lukewarm by now.

"Okay guys, Kadi and I slaved all morning to make a huge breakfast…let's eat!"

At the mention of food, Ryan's eyes lit up and he grinned. "What do you say we go get some food kiddo?"

She returned his smile as he put her down, taking her hand to lead her into the kitchen. "Ok…but remind me to tell you later about this boy in my class."

_Boy…did she say boy?!?! She's only eight! Oh my God, my life is over. _

Ryan eyed her curiously. "Is he cute?"

Her reply nearly made me choke on the orange juice I was drinking. "Uncle Ryan he's only eight" she laughed, rolling her eyes "and even if he was older he's totally not your type." _OK, seriously, where does she get this stuff! _ He never made any secret of the fact that he was gay; his boyfriend Nathan usually came with him to visit and was just another member of the family.

He laughed, ruffling her hair as she tried to climb into the seat next to him. "Touche, Kadi. Touche."

The conversation was light as we ate but the empty chair next to Kelsi was never far from our minds. All seven of us, and eventually Kadi too, had enjoyed so many nights of fun and laughter around this table…now the empty chair was just another painful reminder of what was now missing from all our lives. I saw Ryan glancing at it and he quickly excused himself from the table, shielding his eyes from us with a downward glance. I heard footsteps on the stairs a few seconds later and felt an urgent tapping on my shoulder.

"Daddy, why did Uncle Ryan leave?" She looked scared, her blue eyes showing nothing but confusion.

I lifted her from her seat next to me and placed her on my lap, wiling my voice not to break as I spoke. "He misses Mommy, baby", I started, closing my eyes to hide my own tears, "she was his best friend."

She was out of my lap before I could protest, making a beeline for the stairs. "I'm going to make him feel better." She said it as if it was fact, as if she wouldn't be happy until Uncle Ryan was smiling again. _That's my girl. _

Ryan's Point of View

I couldn't stand it; I had to get out of there. It was as if that empty chair was taunting me, a constant unrelenting reminder that my best friend was gone. So, in typical Ryan fashion, I bailed, practically running up the stairs in a desperate attempt to be as far from the kitchen as possible. I took refuge in Kadi's room, barely having time to walk in and shut the door before tears overtook me. _I want her back…this isn't fair!_ I continued to sob as memories of Gabi filled my mind. We met freshman year after her and Troy beat Sharpay and I for the leads in the winter musical. Sharpay hated her at first and I suppose I should have too, if only out of loyalty to my sister. But I quickly realized that there was nothing about her to hate; she was sweet, caring, and loyal to a fault. The day I came out I was terrified that my friends, the ones I had wished for since elementary school, would shun me. Gabi, ever the protector, stood next to me and held my hand as I broke the news to my parents and Sharpay and later Chad, Taylor, Troy, and Kelsi. Later that night she showed up on my doorstep with a huge box of chocolates and we talked into the wee hours of the morning about everything…school, love, life. _She was my savior. _

I came back to reality when I heard a small knock at the door. I knew that knock and I quickly opened the door to usher Kadi inside before shutting it again. I turned my back to her for a second so I could wipe away the tears and try to compose myself. After a few seconds I turned back to face her.

"Uncle Ryan, you were crying." _Wow, she doesn't waste any time getting to the point. _

I picked her up and walked over to sit on her bed. "Yeah sweetheart, I was" I nodded, "I just miss your Mommy a lot today."

She nodded, turning herself in my lap so she could wrap her arms around my neck. "That's what Daddy said…but you know she's watching over you from Heaven, right?" _Out of the mouths of babes. _

It took me a few seconds to find my voice. "Yeah baby, I know."

Her next question caught me off-guard. "Uncle Ryan, can you tell me about her?" _Oh God, I don't know if I can do this without crying. I thought Troy already talked to her about this. _ But deep down I know that I could never deny her the opportunity to learn more about Gabi so I steeled my nerves, swallowed the lump in my throat, and turned to face the curious child in my arms.

"Your Mommy" I said, tapping her nose, "was one of the sweetest people I've ever known. She loved you very much; when you were little she used to have so much fun playing with you and dressing you in pretty dresses."

She looked up at me with sad eyes and spoke so softly I found myself wondering if I had imagined her words. "I miss her." _Oh sweetheart, you just broke my heart. _

"I just held her tighter, feeling her big crocodile tears soak my shirt as she cried. "I know you do sweetheart, I know."

And there we sat. On her bed, crying together…our hearts aching for the Mommy and best friend we missed so much.

Her sobbing increased as the minutes ticked by and though I didn't want to move, I knew I had to take her downstairs, hoping that seeing her daddy and her other aunts and uncles would come her down.

Troy's Point of View

I was talking to Chad about basketball when I heard Ryan's footsteps on the stairs surprised that I didn't hear Kadi close behind him. When he reached the living room he walked over to me, his eyes still filled with tears. But it was the sight I saw in his arms that made my heart lurch, the sniffles coming from his shoulder and his wet shirt telling me all I needed to know. My baby was crying. I reached for her but she kicked and squirmed against Ryan's chest, burying her head further into his shoulder.

I tried to stroke her arm but she shuddered at my touch, screaming at the top of her lungs. "NO!!!" _I think my heart just shattered. _

It took everything I had not to start sobbing right along with her. I watched Ryan as he talked to her and rubbed her back in an attempt to calm her. "Sweetheart it's just Daddy…Daddy just wants to hold you" he soothed, "I'll be right here, I promise."

Finally, she calmed enough so I could take her from his arms. Her head instantly went to my shoulder, her arms wrapping around my neck.

"What's the matter, angel?" I asked, desperate to see why my little girl was so sad.

Her answer was enough to take my breath away. _Boy she has a knack for doing that. _"Mommy!" she sobbed.

_Oh my God I feel sick. Is the room spinning?_

I moved back to sit down on the couch, not wanting to drop the precious cargo in my arms if my legs decided they could no longer support my weight. I rubbed her back soothingly and talked quietly to her, memories flooding my mind of how I used to do this when she was a baby.

"Oh babygirl, I know you miss Mommy, I do too…so much" I said, stroking her hair. "It's okay to cry."

"No." Her voice was choked and soft but there was no mistaking what she'd said.

"No what, sweetheart?"

Her reply once again left me at a loss for words. "I can't cry… I have to be strong for you, Daddy." _God I love this child. _

I lifted her head from my shoulder, forcing her to look at me. "Kaidrie Grace, you do not have to be strong for me" I started, "If you're sad you can cry…do you understand me?"

She nodded. "Yes, Daddy."

Our conversation ended and her head returned to my shoulder. I held her as she sobbed, letting out the tears I now knew she had been holding in for my benefit. Soon, I saw her eyes slip shut as she surrendered to exhaustion. I tightened my grip on her and turned my head to kiss her cheek.

"Sleep well sweetheart" I whispered, "I hope you see Mommy in your dreams."

**A/N: It will get happier, just stick with me. And please keep reviewing. Thanks!**


	5. AN: Reviewers Challenge

**A/N: Sorry guys, this isn't another chapter; it's still coming together in my head and I'll get it posted as soon as I can. Usually I hate it when people post authors an author's note in the middle of a story but I thought it would be fun to post a challenge to my reviewers. I love reading your reviews so much but I'd aslo like to know what you like (or don't like) about the story. If you wish to participate, all I'm asking is that you pick your favorite parts of the story (quotes, moments, scenes) and tell me why you like (or don't like) them. You can break it down by chapter or just for the story as a whole. I'm obviously biased in my love for this piece since it's my first fanfic but I'd like to know what parts of it appeal to my readers and why. I'll use your responses in an effort to improve my wrting for my next fic. **

**Oh, and of course general reviews are still welcome too. Thanks guys, you are all awesome!**


	6. Defeating Sadness

**A/N: First off, thank you all so much for the positive responses to my Reviewers Challenge. I'd like to keep it going so if you come up with a favorite moment, scene, or quote please let me know. Thanks also to my other reviewers who review the story as a whole. Those are always welcome as well, of course. **

**Here's another chapter for you, this was much easier to write. **

**And now… on with the story.**

_Looking Back on Chapter 4:_

"_I can't cry… I have to be strong for you, Daddy." God I love this child. _

_I lifted her head from my shoulder, forcing her to look at me. "Kaidrie Grace, you do not have to be strong for me" I started, "If you're sad you can cry…do you understand me?"_

_She nodded. "Yes, Daddy."_

_Our conversation ended and her head returned to my shoulder. I held her as she sobbed, letting out the tears I now knew she had been holding in for my benefit. Soon, I saw her eyes slip shut as she surrendered to exhaustion. I tightened my grip on her and turned my head to kiss her cheek. _

"_Sleep well sweetheart" I whispered, "I hope you see Mommy in your dreams."_

Chapter 5: Defeating Sadness

I sat frozen on the couch, emotionally exhausted from the events of the past few minutes and the weight of the confession from my little girl. _I can't believe she thought she had to be strong for me…I should be the one being strong for her. _I lifted Kadi off my shoulder, laying her tiny body across my lap so she could sleep in a more comfortable position. Normally if she fell asleep during the day I would carry her upstairs to bed for a proper nap, but the thought of being away from her at this moment made me nauseous. I needed her. _She's my world. _As I looked down at her face I noticed small tears sliding slowly down her cheeks as she continued to cry in her sleep.

_Wow, and I thought my heart couldn't possibly break anymore today. Wrong. _

I smoothed her hair away from her face with my hand and leaned down to place a quick kiss on her forehead. "Shhh baby…it's ok" I cooed softly "Daddy's got you."

I looked up and found myself staring into five pairs of concerned eyes. I had forgotten my friends were even in the room; it was like I had tunnel vision…my only focus had been the broken little girl in my arms. Chad cleared his throat, breaking the silence that was now all too noticeable.

"Troy, you okay?"

I sighed and managed a watery smile. "Yeah, I'm fine, I just didn't realize Kadi felt that way."

Sharpay chuckled. "Of course you didn't, she hides her feelings," she started "I wonder who she gets that from?" _Damn, she can read me like a book. _

I glared at her, all the while knowing deep down in my heart that she was right. _There's so much I want to say but I'm afraid if I start to cry I'll never stop. It hurts so bad. _

Ryan took me away from my thoughts with a question. "So what do you want to do today after the princess wakes up?" I could tell this was his way of changing the subject so that he wouldn't break down again, and he relaxed visibly when everyone laughed.

_What do I want to do? Crawl in a hole and hide from the world so I can lose complete control of my emotions in peace. But, I made a vow that I would never let this day be overtaken by sadness and I'll be damned if I break it now. _

I looked around the room at my friends, nearly all of whom had rearranged their schedules and flown in from across the country to be with us, and I smiled. My first sincere smile of the day. "Let's have some fun!"

Kelsi grinned and spoke for the first time all morning. "Shall I order the usual?"

I nodded, motioning with my hand to let her know that the pizza menu and phone were in the kitchen. Ever since the first anniversary of that horrible day we had developed traditions to help us commemorate it; it gave all of us something to look forward to and provided stability on a day when we were all riding such a turbulent rollercoaster of emotions. We always ordered lunch from our favorite pizza shop, The Coal Oven, and after we finished eating we let Kadi have complete control of the day, the only rule being that everyone went everywhere together. She loved it and I hoped it provided her with happy memories on a very sad day.

Soon, Chad, Kelsi, and Taylor left to pick up the pizza and I set to work trying to wake Kadi who, by this point, had been sleeping peaceful in my lap for over an hour.

"Kadi, wake up sweetheart" I whispered "it's lunch time."

She sighed without opening her eyes and cuddled further into my lap, just as she had done this morning when I checked on her in bed. _My sleepy girl. _

I picked her up, and as I moved to place her on the couch next to me, her eyes fluttered open and she found her voice.

"Hi Daddy." Her voice was soft and thick with sleep.

I smiled, bringing her to my chest for a quick hug. "Hi sweetie, did you have a nice nap?"

She nodded excitedly, seeming to forget her emotional breakdown from earlier. "I talked to Mommy in my dream Daddy."

I saw Ryan's head shoot up from the magazine he'd been reading as I stood rooted to the floor. I couldn't move. She said it so simply and innocently, as if it happened everyday.

My voice was practically non-existent. "What did Mommy say, baby?" I breathed out.

"She told me to tell you she loves you." _I love you too, Gabi. Forever and always. _

The lump in my throat was growing by the second as I tried without much success to bite it back, not wanting to cry again. I turned my head upward, blowing a small kiss and whispering a choked 'I love you', hoping that Gabriella had caught it in Heaven.

Chad, Taylor, and Kelsi arrived with the pizza a few minutes later and we all sat down to eat. This time the atmosphere was much lighter as Kadi regaled us with stories from her second-grade class and we reminisced about high school. We were laughing heartily at something Chad had said when Taylor brought up the summer after 9th grade when we had all worked at Lava Springs, the country club Sharpay and Ryan's parents owned.

"Troy, do you remember when you were like an hour late to your date with Gabriella at the pool?"

I laughed, eyeing Sharpay warily. "That's because someone kept coming up with excuses to keep me at dinner with her parents."

Ryan was cracking up but Sharpay just shrugged. "What can I say? You were hot and I wanted you all to myself."

_Thank you, Captain Obvious. _

"I had a daughter Sharpay and a girlfri—"I stopped, realizing what she'd said. "Wait what do you mean I was hot? I'm still hot." I was desperate to preserve my ego.

She shook her head, flashing that evil grin she was famous for. "Face it, Troy. You haven't aged well."

_Ouch. The Ice Queen strikes again. _

Not wanting to risk any more shots to my already bruised ego I ate and listened as everyone ragged on Sharpay, exchanging stories about how immature she was when we were younger. They were teasing her about how she had insisted that her locker be pink while all the other students used metal gray ones when a loud whistle put an abrupt end to the conversation. I turned to my left to find my daughter with two fingers in her mouth, obviously pleased that she was able to get our attention.

Taking her fingers out of her mouth, she grinned. "Lunch is over, I want to go swimming."

We all got up and walked to the door as she took a detour up the stairs to grab our bathing suits and a towel. She returned a minute later and we piled in our cars and followed each other to Lava Springs. Before I could even park the car, Sharpay had lifted Kadi out and they were running together toward the entrance to the main building. I cringed; when Kadi and Sharpay got together the end result was never good. Too scared to follow them, I joined the others at the pool. Out of the corner of my eye I caught sight of Kadi walking toward us wearing a pink sequined bathing suit that was, for lack of a better term, signature Sharpay. I just stared at her, too shocked to say anything coherent. Eventually I snapped out of my trance.

"Kadi honey, that's not your bathing suit."

She nodded. "Aunt Sharpay bought it for me, she said she was going to save it for Christmas but she decided to give it to me now instead."

_Ugh. I'm beginning to think my friends are on a secret mission to corrupt my little girl. Some friends they are!_

Suddenly Sharpay appeared and I eyed her questioningly. "Sharpay, what on earth is my daughter wearing?" I asked "she had a perfectly good bathing suit."

She laughed, looking between Kadi and I. "That bathing suit was so last year, Troy…eight year-olds have to be fashionable, you know."

_Oh. My. God. Please tell me this isn't foreshadowing what her teenage years are gonna be like. I'm so screwed. _

Kadi grinned. "Yeah I like it, Daddy."

Taylor laughed as we watched Kadi and Sharpay run at top speed toward the diving board. "It looks like you might have a mini-Sharpay on your hands, Troy."

I shot a death glare at her. "Bite your tongue, McKessie," I warned "Bite. Your. Tongue."

She was laughing hysterically now, knowing she'd struck a nerve. "Truth hurts, Bolton."

_Lord help me. _

Eventually I conceded, admitting that a small part of me liked the bathing suit. _She does look adorable in it. _I'd lost the battle but I was determined to win the war, I wasn't sure if I would survive having a mini-Sharpay under my roof during her teenage years. Just thinking about it made me tired.

Once I was done pouting I joined everyone in the pool. We splashed and played for a few hours until Kadi was too exhausted to move; her head was lying on my chest, my hands wrapped protectively around her waist to keep her afloat. When I noticed that she could barely keep her eyes open I lifted her out of the pool and carefully set her down in a lounge chair so I could help her dry off. As I knelt down in front of her she flashed me a tired smile.

"Did you have fun baby?"

She nodded slowly but the excitement in her voice told me her answer before she even spoke the words. "I had the best time, Daddy!" She leaned forward to hug me and I pulled her close, letting out a quiet, relieved sigh against her hair. The sadness wasn't going to win as long as I had any say in the matter. It had no chance.

**A/N: There you have it, Chapter 5! I can't believe the story has made it this far. I hope I succeeded in making it a little less sad. I don't think it's my best work, but I'll let you guys be the judge of that with your reviews. Thanks!**


	7. Reliving The Nightmare

**A/N: First, I want to apologize for taking so long to get a new chapter up. I knew where I wanted this chapter to go, I just wasn't sure how to get it there. But I think it's come together nicely and I hope you like it. Second, many thanks to my reviewers. Please keep them coming!**

**Ok, a few notes: **

**1. I didn't intend for the chapter to be this long, I hope no one gets bored halfway through. **

**2. It might be good to have tissues handy. I'm not a crier but some parts were very difficult to write.**

_Looking Back on Chapter 5:_

_When I noticed that she could barely keep her eyes open I lifted her out of the pool and carefully set her down in a lounge chair so I could help her dry off. As I knelt down in front of her she flashed me a tired smile. _

"_Did you have fun baby?"_

_She nodded slowly but the excitement in her voice told me her answer before she even spoke the words. "I had the best time, Daddy!" She leaned forward to hug me and I pulled her close, letting out a quiet, relieved sigh against her hair. The sadness wasn't going to win as long as I had any say in the matter. It had no chance. _

Chapter 6: Reliving The Nightmare

After I had successfully dragged everyone out of the pool we decided to split up so that we could take full advantage of Lava Springs. As a thank-you for working that summer after 9th grade Mr. and Mrs. Evans gave us each a lifetime membership with full privileges, but I never even thought of bringing Kadi here because it just wasn't the same without "The Gang" around. Coming this year was a special treat and I knew she would want to see everything the place had to offer. After a quick discussion and a promise to meet back at the pool in two hours, Ryan took Kadi for her first seaweed scrub while the girls headed off to the salon to get manicures. Chad and I made our way to the basketball courts, a spirited game of one on one seemed like the perfect way to pass the time…and show Chad that I was still king of the court. He grabbed a ball and started dribbling up court while I took position under the hoop in an attempt to prevent him from making an easy lay up. I'd been playing basketball with Chad practically from the moment we could walk, and in that time I had learned to read him like a book. A lay up meant he would go left and drive to the hoop so I planted my feet, preparing my body go left and block his shot. Everything seemed to go in slow motion as he drove to the hoop…and went right, easily laying the ball in while I stood there with my mouth hanging open in shock.

_So much for being able to read him like a book. _

He laughed as he passed me the ball, the dumbfounded expression on my face obviously amusing him.

"Surprised, Troy?"

"You went right" I stammered, "my Dad spent years trying to teach you that and you always screwed it up."

He grinned triumphantly. "It's a little thing called practice, you should try it sometime…it seems as though the Basketball Guy is losing his touch."

I rolled my eyes and, as if to prove a point, sunk a three-pointer from way outside the arc. _Yup I've still got it. _

Our playful banter continued as we traded baskets and I made desperate, unsuccessful attempts to defend against Chad's new and improved moves. By the end I was laying flat on my back as he dribbled the ball around my head in victory.

_Owww. Can't move! How the hell did I do this every night for four years?_

As my muscles continued to protest against all the exercise they had just endured, I just laid there and listened in defeat as Chad started in with the taunting I knew was inevitable.

"I can't believe I dethroned The King" he started "So tell me Troy, how does that feel?"

Instead of engaging in a war of words like I knew he wanted me to I did the next logical thing…I flipped him off. He laughed and continued to mock me.

"Is that all you've got, Troy?" You don't want to say anything?"

_Oh when I can move you are so gonna get it, Danforth. _

The taunting was interrupted a few minutes later as Taylor, Kelsi, and Sharpay strolled up to us. They were so busy showing off their newly-manicured nails that it took a few minutes for anyone to notice me on the ground. When Kelsi finally did, she eyed me curiously.

"Troy are you okay?"

_Does it look like I'm OK? I thought she was supposed to be the smart one. _

Before I had the chance to answer, Chad returned to gloat mode. "I beat him in basketball and now he's pouting."

Taylor laughed. "I never thought I'd see the day Chad Danforth beat Troy Bolton in basketball."

"Shut up, Taylor" I grimaced through clenched teeth, "and I'm not pouting…it hurts to move."

Sharpay laughed and knelt down to help me into a sitting position before extending her hand so I could use it to stand up. "Looks like you could use some more practice, Playmaker."

_Ok seriously, I get it. I'm out of shape. You don't have to keep saying it, you're hurting my ego. _

As I stood, I caught sight of Kadi and Ryan walking toward us from the direction of the pool. When they reached us Ryan looked confused.

"I thought we agreed to meet at the pool?"

Taylor nodded. "We did but Chad beat Troy in basketball and Troy was too sore to move."

I watched as Ryan's face cracked into a smile which was quickly followed by loud, hysterical laughter. I glared at him and he laughed harder, causing both Chad and I to look at him questioningly.

"What's so funny, Ryan?" Chad asked.

He cleared his throat in an attempt to stop his giggles. "Nothing, it's just…Troy, I could beat Chad in basketball. What happened?"

Now it was Chad's turn to glare at him as I put my hands up defensively. "Look I was just having an off day, ok."

Kadi, who had been watching the conversation quietly from her spot next to Ryan, suddenly spoke up. "That's what you said when I beat you last week, Daddy."

_I was so hoping she'd forgotten that already. I really need to teach her the art of lying. _

At Kadi's admission five heads whipped around to stare at me as they burst into laughter. I scowled at my daughter, who just shrugged and flashed me that grin that she knew could get her out of anything.

_Oh crap, she's turning the tables and using the famous Troy Bolton grin against me. Damn that thing is powerful; no wonder I always got what I wanted._

Eventually my friends stopped laughing at my expense and we started toward the parking lot. I suggested that we head home for a bit; I was desperately hoping that a shower would help me freshen up and relieve all the tension and pain plaguing my body. Once we arrived home I left the others happily playing Life downstairs and made a beeline for the shower. I sighed in contentment as the hot water hit my skin, doing wonders to loosen my tight, throbbing muscles. I showered quickly and made the way to my bedroom to change into some more comfortable clothes for the rest of the day. As I tugged a clean t-shirt over my head I looked up, coming face to face with a picture of Gabi that I kept in a frame on the dresser. It was one of her senior pictures…she looked beautiful smiling at the camera as the stunning Albuquerque fall colors surrounded her. She knew I loved the picture so she framed it and gave it to me for my 18th birthday; ever since then it had occupied a special spot on our dresser. Normally I could look at it and manage a small smile, but today I froze as a bittersweet realization came over me. I hadn't thought about her the entire time we were at Lava Springs.

Suddenly I felt weak, like standing was going to become impossible in a matter of seconds. I quickly threw on a pair of khaki shorts and made my way over to the bed. Laying down, I fixed my eyes on the ceiling so that they wouldn't keep wandering over to the picture. Before long I could feel my defenses breaking as tears sprung to my eyes once again. _So much for not letting sadness overtake the day. _Normally I would be thankful for a short reprieve from the memories that constantly occupied my mind, but today it just seemed wrong that she wasn't in my every thought. Guilt overtook me and I finally let myself give into the tears that were coasting down my cheeks, stopping my futile attempts to wipe them away. After a few minutes I heard a quick knock on the door followed by Sharpay's voice.

"Troy, Kadi's ready to go get some ice cream, are you coming?"

When I didn't answer she opened the door and walked in, with Chad following close behind. I raised my head to look at them, Sharpay's facial expression told me that she knew that I was in no condition to tag along for ice cream. She walked over to the bed, motioning with her eyes for Chad to follow, and quickly pulled out her cell phone. I heard the familiar sound of Ryan's classic ring tone from downstairs and I listened as she spoke softly to him, letting him know that it was okay to leave for the ice cream parlor without us. I felt horrible for breaking the long-standing "everyone goes everywhere together" rule that we had established for this day, but I knew that there was no possible way I could muster the strength to be in public right now. Even breathing, something I didn't even have to think about, was quickly becoming very difficult as I let the sadness consume me.

Once her phone call with Ryan ended, Sharpay sat down next to me and Chad took a place further down toward the end of the bed. He seemed to be lost in his own thoughts as Sharpay tended to me. She moved me into a sitting position and pulled me closer to her body, leaning up to place a comforting kiss in my hair.

"Troy, what brought this on, sweetheart'' she whispered softly, "you didn't watch TV again, did you?"

I shook my head, using my index finger to point in the direction of the picture that caused my breakdown.

_The beautiful picture that single-handedly has the power to send me into an emotional tailspin…but I can't survive without it. _

Her eyes followed my finger, and she smiled as they finally focused on the picture in the silver frame. "That's a great picture of her" she said quietly, looking down at me "you love it, don't you?"

I nodded, turning so I could bury my head against her shoulder; I felt like such a little boy clinging to her like this but she was my lifeline at the moment. And I needed her so much it scared me.

"I feel like I'm suffocating, Shar." I choked out between deep sobs, "it hurts so much."

She rubbed my back soothingly, using her freehand to pull me flush against her body as my head continued to rest on her shoulder. "Oh Troy, it's okay sweetie…you can cry" she soothed "let it all out, I'm right here."

So, with Sharpay holding me and Chad sitting nearby in case we needed him, I finally allowed my mind to drift back to that horrible day. The day my world stopped.

Flashback

I groaned as the sound my ringing cell phone brought me out of the deep sleep I had been enjoying. Blinking against the darkness, my tired eyes focused on the alarm clock that was perched on the nightstand. It read 5:00 a.m.

_What the hell…who would be calling me at this ungodly hour?_

Then I remembered Gabi. I was being heavily recruited by Boston College to continue my basketball career, so she and her mother had flown out late last week to check out the campus and survey whether it would be a good place put down roots for our small family. I had visited the previous spring while Gabi stayed home with Kadi, but when the recruiting offers became more serious she decided she wanted to see the campus for herself. With the visit over she and her Mom were flying to Los Angeles today and, at my suggestion, taking a few days to explore and shop before they returned to Albuquerque on Friday. Gabi's absence left me in charge of our little princess, and it also left me with a very empty bed. _Ok, enough vacation…I want her back now! _

Realizing that my phone was still ringing on the nightstand, I quickly glanced at the screen and brought it to my ear.

"Gabi sweetheart, you do realize you're calling me at 5:00a.m., right?" I chided sleepily.

I could practically feel her smile through the phone. "Good morning to you too, Grumpy" she giggled "I just wanted to check on my two favorite people before we get ready to leave for the airport."

I smiled, realizing that it was impossible for me to stay irritated with her for more than five seconds. "Good morning…and we're fine" I reassured her "I'm gonna wake up the princess soon because the team has an early morning workout."

She laughed, knowing full well that our precious daughter was not a morning person. "Good luck with that."

I returned her laugh. "Thanks…so what time is your flight?"

"Well we're supposed to take off at eight so we should be in L.A. by two; then we're going to spend the rest of the day shopping" she replied excitedly.

_My Gabi and shopping…she's almost worse than Sharpay. _

I glanced at the clock as I continued to listen to her ramble on about all of the cute things she was going to buy for Kadi. 5:15.

"Gabi" I interrupted softly "I gotta go sweetheart, practice starts in an hour and we're not even up yet."

She sighed and I briefly considered skipping practice so we could keep talking. "Ok Troy, I love you…give Kadi a kiss for me."

"I will, I love you. Have fun in L.A and we'll see you in a few days."

"Bye Troy."

"Bye sweetheart."

Once the sound of the dial tone met my ear I snapped my phone shut and got out of bed, ready to face the day. I dressed quickly before making my way down the hall to Kadi's room. Walking in, I turned the light on and hurried over to her bed. _Better to get this over with quickly than to face her early morning wrath. _I leaned down, placing a soft kiss on her forehead before uttering the words that I knew weren't going to make her happy.

"Baby, it's time to wake up."

My words were met with whimpers as she buried her head deeper into her pillow. "Daddy no!" _She's so adorable when she's grumpy. _

I kissed her cheek, putting my hands underneath her back so that I could easily lift her from the bed, and she instantly cuddled into my chest. "How about this, sweetheart? Why don't we go sit down and Daddy will get you dressed…does that sound okay?"

She nodded and I took a quick detour to her dresser to grab an outfit before walking over to the rocking chair near her window. I sat down gently, placing Kadi on my knee and quickly pulled the t-shirt and shorts over her body. After her shoes were securely on her feet I pulled her further into my lap, smiling as I remembered the many long nights I had spent in this rocking chair when she was a baby. For some reason I had been the only one with the ability to calm her if she woke up in the middle of the night; I had many great memories from those nights and I still cherished opportunities like this to hold her as she slowly woke from a night of slumber.

After a few minutes I carried her downstairs and managed to get her to eat some toasted PopTarts and milk while I inhaled a donut and searched for my long-lost physics book. Book found, we left for school ten minutes later, Kadi jabbering excitedly the whole way about a friend she had met yesterday during playtime. By the time we arrived at East High's on-site daycare she was quiet, and as I picked her up out of her carseat, she laid her head on my shoulder. _My poor sleepy girl. _ I carried her inside and set her down near the door where her teacher Amy was waiting for all the kids to come in for the day.

"Hi Kadi" she smiled "How are you doing this morning?"

She gave a tired smile. "Good Miss Amy."

Looking at my watch I realized that I was about five minutes away from being late to practice. I kissed Kadi goodbye and turned to walk out the door but I was stopped by her quiet, sad voice.

"Daddy I sleepy." she whimpered.

I turned on my heels and walked back over to her, noticing the crocodile tears that were beginning to run down her cheeks. Kneeling down, I pulled her close and whispered in her ear, hoping to prevent this from turning into a full-fledged temper tantrum.

"Babygirl I know you're sleepy" I soothed "How about after school you take a nap with me since I'm gonna be real tired from practice…how does that sound?"

"Good Daddy" she smiled "now leave, you gonna be late for practice."

I laughed, waving to her one last time as I disappeared down the hallway toward the gym. I emerged from practice half an hour later and walked slowly to my first hour class, Calculus. Before long I found myself in Drama, fighting to stay awake as Ms. Darbus went on one of her classic rants about the sanctity of theater. As she droned on about the creative genius that emerged from the 'hallowed hall', I felt my cell phone vibrate against my hip. I cursed inwardly and briefly considered risking a lifetime of detention just so I could answer it in the middle of class. Glancing at the clock, I saw that it read 8:20.

_Damn cellphone Nazi, Darbus! I really need to take this, it's probably Gabi telling me that their plane is about to take off. I really want to talk to her!_

After forty more minutes of Darbus torture, the bell rang and Chad and I talked excitedly as we left the room. The conversation continued for awhile longer but we soon parted to head to our third hour classes at opposite ends of the school. As I walked in silence to my Physics class, my eyes wandered to the TV situated just outside the media center. It wasn't usually on, but today it was broadcasting images of what I recognized to be the burning World Trade Center Towers in New York.

_That's odd. Why are they showing a movie in the middle of the school day?_

It wasn't until I saw the red 'Breaking News' banner at the bottom of the screen that I realized this was real. The headline was short: 'Plane hits World Trade Center Tower in New York City.' _Oh My God…those poor people!_

I stood in the middle of the hallway, transfixed by what I saw unfolding on the screen. The reporters were spilling out information as they continued to replay footage of the plane hitting the tower. A minute later I watched in horror as a plane barreled directly into the second tower. It was surreal, almost as if I was having a bad dream. Then it dawned on me...Gabi was flying today. _Please God, please let Gabi be OK. _

Physics long forgotten, I ran as fast as I could to my car in the parking lot. I couldn't remember what flight she and her Mom were on and I knew it would be impossible to relax until I knew for sure. I jammed my keys into the ignition and drove home on autopilot, trying to keep negative thoughts from invading my mind as I got closer to the house. _She's fine…she's probably relaxing and eating breakfast right now. _As soon as I pulled in the driveway I shut the engine off and sprinted inside, not stopping until I had reached the fridge where her flight itinerary hung. I glanced at it quickly, seeing that they were booked on American Airlines Flight 11. I breathed a sigh of relief; since none of the news broadcasts had made any mention that the planes were commercial airliners I had no reason to worry. I made my way to the living room and switched on the TV before sitting down on the couch. I pulled my cell phone from my hip and quickly texted Chad, asking him to gather the gang, pick up Kadi, and come to the house. I couldn't watch this alone.

Once I hit the send button for the text message, the screen on my phone lit up letting me know I had a new voicemail. I suddenly remembered how my phone had rung during Darbus's class and I quickly punched in my passcode, anxious to hear the message. Gabi's voice soon filled my ear but she didn't sound like her bubbly, cheerful self; she sounded…scared.

"**Troy, it's me, something is happening on the plane and I just wanted to tell you and Kadi that I love you. Don't panic, OK…I love you so much. See you in a few days. Bye!"**

_Oh my God, this isn't happening!_

I sat motionless on the couch, not believing the words I had just heard. I played the message again, desperate to convince myself that I was imagining everything she had said. Her voice was choked as she said goodbye, as if she was having trouble believing that she was actually going to see us in a few days. I saved the message and quickly dialed Gabi's number, expecting it to ring but instead my heart sank as it went directly to voicemail.

"Gabi it's me" I started "I love you to the moon and back, sweetheart…call me when you land. Love you!"

I snapped my phone shut and threw it on the coffee table. With as much attention as I could muster I focused on the TV, trying to listen as the reporters gave up to the minute information on the horror that had begun in New York but had since spread to the Pentagon in Washington DC. Tears came to my eyes as the enormity and uncertainty of the situation finally settled in my heart.

_Our country is under attack and my girlfriend is in a plane somewhere. Oh God, please let her be safe! I need her…she's my everything. _

My head fell to my hands as tears continued to pool in my eyes, my mind wandering back to the conversation Gabi and I had shared earlier that morning. At the time it had been nothing special, just a quick good morning and 'I love you' that had temporarily bridged the 3,000 mile distance between us, but now I was replaying every moment of it in my head. I desperately wanted, no needed, to hear her voice… if only to prevent despair from permeating my every thought.

I was brought back to reality when I heard the front door open and saw each of my friends file in quietly. Ryan had Kadi in his arms and I silently thanked God when I noticed that she was sleeping peacefully on his shoulder; if she had been awake she would have wanted me to hold her and I didn't want her to see me crying. Sure she was only three but she was a very perceptive child; if she saw my tears she'd ask questions and there was no use in worrying her since we didn't know anything definite at the moment. I cast a sad glance at my five best friends and Sharpay rushed over and kneeled down in front of me while everyone else took seats on the couch.

"Troy, what's the matter" Taylor inquired "why are you crying?"

I pointed at the TV, which was now showing a shot of both burning towers, finding my voice long enough to utter the one word that would make them all understand. "Gabi."

My response was met with a collective gasp as each of them remembered that she was due to fly to L.A. today to start her short vacation. Sharpay was the first to speak, obviously trying to lift my spirits.

"I'm sure she's fine, Troy" she said "these planes are from New York, not Boston."

I shook my head, opening my phone and punching in the voicemail passcode before handing it to her. "Listen."

I watched fear cross her face as she listened to Gabi's message. When it was over she quickly handed the phone to Ryan and moved to envelop me in a hug and rub my back soothingly, her voice quivering as she spoke.

"She's gonna be fine, Troy" she stated matter of factly. "There's no doubt in my mind."

I sighed, using my hand to wipe the tears from my eyes. "I hope you're right, Shar" I choked out, "because I need her here with me."

She nodded. "I know you do Troy, I know."

As Sharpay continued to comfort me we watched TV in silence as new information and pictures began trickling in. I turned to look at Ryan and noticed that, even as Kadi slept in his lap, his hand was covering her eyes. _Good. My girl doesn't need to see this. _

A few more minutes of complete silence followed before a reporter's voice broke in over the images. "We now have confirmed information about the planes involved in the incident in New York."

_Oh my God. _

I silently prayed, begging God to keep my Gabi safe but my hope was shattered when the reporter spoke again. "We now have confirmation from American Airlines that one of the planes that crashed into the south tower of the World Trade Center this morning was Flight 11, which originally took off out of Boston's Logan Airport."

_Gabi's gone. My baby. NO!!!! _

I stifled a scream, taking Sharpay with me as I slid off the couch. I saw her motion to Ryan with her eyes, telling him to take Kadi upstairs so she wouldn't have to see what was about to happen. He was as white as a sheet but somehow managed to find the strength to walk out of the living room. I waited until I heard her bedroom door softly latch before I completely broke, latching on to Sharpay as if my very life depended on it.

"S…Shar…Sharpay, my Gabi's gone" I sobbed, "my baby's gone!"

She gently rocked me back and forth in her arms, her own tears soaking my hair as she stroked it slowly.

"Shhh Troy, shhhh" she soothed "I'm so sorry, sweetheart."

I heard Kelsi, Taylor, and Chad get up from the couch and take seats next to us on the floor before reaching out to me rubbing my back in a calming motion. I couldn't look at them; right now I just wanted to leave my head buried in Sharpay's shirt forever. My reason for living was gone.

Suddenly I felt my stomach lurch and I jumped from Sharpay's arms, arriving in the bathroom just in time to lose the donut I'd eaten for breakfast. Chad was behind me, rubbing my back as I continued to heave into the toilet between desperate sobs.

"Troy it's gonna be okay, man" he said softly, "it's gonna be okay." _No Chad, it's never going to be okay again…not without Gabi. _

Once I was confident that there was nothing left in my stomach Chad helped me walk out of the bathroom and I looked at my friends for the first time since we'd heard the news.

"I think I need to be alone." I said quietly.

But Sharpay wasn't buying it, and as I took to the stairs hoping to find solitude in my room, I heard four pairs of soft footsteps following behind me. Taylor and Kelsi went into the guest room to call my parents while Chad and Sharpay kept careful watch over me. Safely in the confines of my room, Sharpay sat down on the bed and pulled me once again into her arms, using the same rocking motion that had calmed me slightly downstairs. We stayed in that position for hours, until the sunlight of the day had been replaced by darkness. It was mostly silent, save for the whimpers escaping my lips and the sound of the words she was whispering in my ear. At one point Chad disappeared, returning a few minutes later with my Mom in tow. She immediately sat on the bed between Sharpay and Chad and I launched myself into her arms, burying my head in her chest.

"Mommy!" I sobbed "my Gabi's gone!"

She hugged me tighter, stroking my arm and back with that soothing touch that I swore mother's had down to a science. "I'm so sorry baby" she said "so very very sorry."

I looked up and she kissed my cheek as my sad eyes met hers. I choked back another sob as I remembered Kadi, my beautiful angel that would now have to grow up without her mother. _Oh my God, I'm a single parent at 18. It wasn't supposed to be like this! _

"Mommy" I choked out "I can't raise Kadi alone, I can't…I'm not strong enough."

She kissed the top of my head and Sharpay spoke the words I knew my mother couldn't find. "You're not alone Troy" she said "we're all going to be here every step of the way."

My Mom nodded and kissed me once more before getting up, saying that she'd be downstairs if we needed anything. I returned to Sharpay's arms, continuing to sob as thoughts of Kadi assailed my mind. As if on cue, Ryan poked his head in and looked at me, his sad eyes mirroring my own.

"Troy" he said softly "I'm putting Kadi to bed and she's asking for you."

Casting a sad look in Sharpay and Chad's direction I rose slowly from the bed and made the short, sad walk down the hall to my princess's room. I paused at her door, using my hand to brush away my incessant tears. Earlier in the day I had made the decision to tell Kadi about what had happened at bedtime; I wanted this to be as normal of a day for her as possible and Ryan had been gracious enough to entertain her while I grieved, all the while keeping his own sadness hidden. But now it was time. _Time to break my babygirl's heart. _

Finally gathering up the courage, I crossed the threshold to her room and walked to her bed, passing Ryan as he made his way out. I sat down on the bed, willing my voice not to break as I gazed down at the beautiful child before me.

I smoothed a stray piece of hair away from her face and caressed her soft cheek with my thumb. "Hi pretty girl."

She eyed me sleepily, letting out a big yawn to illustrate just how tired she was. "Hi Daddy."

I kissed her cheek, simultaneously moving my hand to find hers under the sheets she was wrapped in. "Kadi, Daddy needs to talk to you about something important before you go to sleep, okay?"

_It's now or never. How the hell do I explain this to a three year-old when I don't even understand it?_

"Kadi, do you remember how Mommy and Gramma were supposed to fly to California today before they came home?"

She nodded and I had to swallow the lump in my throat before continuing. "Well baby, something happened to the plane they were on and they had to go to Heaven."

The question she uttered next was enough to make my heart burst. "When are they coming back?"

I simply shook my head and leaned down to kiss her cheek again. "They're not baby, they're not" I explained softly "but they're going to be watching over you forever."

I wasn't sure if she'd understood what I had just said but my questions were answered a few seconds later as she fought to escape her covers, reaching up for me as tears began cascading down her cheeks. I picked her up without a thought, cradling her tiny, trembling body against my chest.

"Daddy's here, baby" I reassured her "I'm right here."

Any hope I had of not crying was out the window as she found her voice. "I want Mommy, Daddy." she cried, "I want to see Mommy."

Tears pooled in my eyes once again as I hugged her tighter. "I know, babygirl" I soothed "I want to see Mommy too…more than anything."

So there I sat, cradling my precious baby in my arms as she cried buckets of tears against my t-shirt. After what seemed like hours I felt her body relax, her sobs replaced by sleepy hiccupping breaths. I laid her down gently, pulling the covers over her and kissing her forehead one last time before walking out of her room. I felt the sudden urge to sob again and I couldn't do it. Not here, not after I had just gotten Kadi to go to sleep.

As I left her bedroom I saw Ryan standing in the hallway, almost as if he had been waiting for me. I nodded in his direction and he gave me a watery smile.

"How are you holding up?" he asked.

I sighed. "I just broke my baby girl's heart, Ryan" I said softly, "when she was born I promised to protect her from all the bad stuff in this world…and I just broke her heart."

He walked over, giving me a hug that I knew we both desperately needed. "How are you doing?"

He averted his gaze, hiding the tears that were dripping from his eyes. "I'm breathing" he said "that's a start."

I nodded knowingly, patting him on the shoulder in thanks as he returned to his post in Kadi's room. I watched as he sat down in a chair next to the bed and took her little hand in his, massaging it soothingly with his thumb. _My girl was in good hands. _

I walked slowly back to my own room where I was instantly met by a curious Sharpay. All I could do was nod sadly as I sought solace once again in her arms. She held me as I gave into another round of tears, missing Gabi with every fiber of my being. Soon, I felt her body shift as she moved to get up, guiding my body down to the bed as she walked away. She returned a few minutes later carrying a glass of water. I eyed her questioningly and she sat down, opening her hand to reveal a tiny pill.

"It's a sleeping pill" she said softly "your Mom wants you to take it."

I shook my head vehemently, pushing her hand away like a little boy who didn't want to take his medicine.

"I don't want to sleep, Shar" I choked out "I'm afraid to sleep."

She sighed, pulling me close. "Troy, you need to sleep…it's 2a.m., you've been up for almost twenty-four hours."

She was right, I was exhausted and I knew I couldn't sleep without help. Not tonight. "Fine, but will you stay with me until I fall asleep?"

She managed a smile, handing me the pill and the water. "Of course, sweetheart" she said "and we're all sleeping downstairs so I can be here in two minutes if you need me during the night."

I nodded gratefully as I laid down, feeling my body truly relax for the first time all day as Sharpay sat smoothing my hair away from my face. The calming repetitive motion, combined with the pill I had just taken, helped me slip into a fitful sleep after a few minutes. I felt the bed shift as Sharpay left and I just snuggled further into the pillow, allowing my tears to soak it as a dream of Gabi filled my mind. _My beautiful Gabi. _

I awoke a few hours later to a furious tapping on my chest. My eyes shot open and as they adjusted to the darkness I saw Kadi standing timidly next to the bed.

"Hi Daddy." she said softly.

"Hi baby" I replied "what's wrong?"

"I just 'membered that I never got to take a nap with you yesterday."

I smiled as my mind flashed back to the promise I had made to her earlier that day…it seemed like a lifetime ago.

"Well, what do you say we fix that?" I asked as I picked her up, tickling her stomach lightly as I laid her down next to me.

She snuggled against me and I watched as her eyes slipped shut with one final whisper. "I love you, Daddy."

I leaned over and kissed her cheek softly. I love you too, angel." I whispered "So much."

Maybe we were going to be okay.

End Flashback

My body quaked with deep sobs as thoughts of that day assaulted my mind; they were still so incredibly vivid, as if they had actually happened yesterday. Sharpay tightened her grip on me as I continued to sob and mumble incoherently against her chest, just as I had done right after I'd heard the news. Eventually she lifted my head, forcing my blue eyes to meet her brown ones.

"Shhh Troy, it's alright" she murmured "it's alright...please stop crying."

Instead of lessening, my tears increased as I balled the fabric of her shirt in my hands, desperate to feel as close to her as possible. As long as I was being held I didn't feel so hopelessly lost.

Her hand caught mine and she held it securely as she spoke, a little firmer this time. "Troy listen to me" she instructed "sweetheart, I know you're hurting so much right now but you need to try and remember the good times…Gabi would be so proud of you."

I sniffled. "You think so?"

Now it was Chad's turn to interject. I'd forgotten he was even there. "Are you kidding, Troy?" he asked incredulously. "You went to college; you're raising a beautiful daughter…you made a life for yourself when you had every right to give up."

Sharpay nodded. "He's right, you know, Gabi would be so proud of you."

I managed an ever so tiny smile as I wiped away the few remaining tears trickling from my eyes. As usual, my friends knew how to set me straight. _What would I do without them? _Chad and Sharpay were right were right, I had a great life with thousands of good memories to overshadow the bad ones…and I intended to keep it that way. As I sat still firmly entrenched in Sharpay's embrace, I cast a quickly glance to the Heavens.

_I hope they're right Gabi, I hope you're proud of me. I'm doing the best I can. _

**A/N: I just wanted to clarify the whole Troy/Sharpay relationship. There isn't one, at least not romantically, and that's not in the cards at the moment. When I'm writing I envision her as his best friend, the one who's there to hold him up whenever he feels down. Quite a difference from the movie Sharpay but I like it and I hope you guys do too. Please keep reviewing, I love reading them so much. You all are so great and I'm so glad you love the story as much as I love writing it. Thanks!**


	8. Surviving

**A/N: First, I want to apologize for the long wait between chapters. I was hit with a wicked case of writers block, but after almost two weeks I was finally able to come up with an idea to continue the story Second, many thanks to those who continue to review. I love reading them!**

**Ok, now a few notes:**

**1. I've discovered that I need to have music on when I write, it gets the creative juices flowing. The Backstreet Boys and their new awesome CD, **_**Unbreakable, **_**were my inspiration during this chapter. **

**2. Tissues might be necessary. I tried to add in some fluff but have them nearby just in case. **

**3. Be sure to read the author's note at the end of the chapter. I think you'll like what you see;). **

**4. And finally, the announcement I've been avoiding. This is the final chapter of the story. Since it only follows the East High gang over one day as they reflect during the 5****th**** anniversary, I couldn't see continuing it any longer. **

_Looking Back on Chapter 6:_

_Her hand caught mine and she held it securely as she spoke, a little firmer this time. "Troy listen to me" she instructed "sweetheart, I know you're hurting so much right now but you need to try and remember the good times…Gabi would be so proud of you."_

_I sniffled. "You think so?" _

_Now it was Chad's turn to interject. I'd forgotten he was even there. "Are you kidding, Troy?" he asked incredulously. "You went to college; you're raising a beautiful daughter…you made a life for yourself when you had every right to give up."_

_Sharpay nodded. "He's right, you know, Gabi would be so proud of you."_

_I managed an ever so tiny smile as I wiped away the few remaining tears trickling from my eyes. As usual, my friends knew how to set me straight. What would I do without them? Chad and Sharpay were right were right, I had a great life with thousands of good memories to overshadow the bad ones…and I intended to keep it that way. As I sat still firmly entrenched in Sharpay's embrace, I cast a quickly glance to the Heavens. _

_I hope they're right Gabi, I hope you're proud of me. I'm doing the best I can. _

Chapter 7: Surviving 

An eerie silence replaced my sobs as the weight of Chad's lecture settled over the room. Deep down I knew his words were true, Gabi would be thrilled that I had achieved my dream of becoming a teacher but, more importantly, she would be absolutely stunned to see the beautiful person our baby girl was becoming. Still, I wasn't entirely convinced that there was anything to be proud of in my accomplishments…I had just done what was necessary to survive without my love by my side. It hadn't been easy; for the first few weeks following the attacks I hid from the world, only coming out of my room when there was no way around it. Sharpay was the only person allowed beyond the threshold of my room and she spent many nights holding me, just as she was doing in this moment, as the nightmare replayed itself in my head. With their access to my room denied, Kelsi, Chad, Taylor, and Ryan maintained vigil downstairs, making sure that Kadi was well-cared for in my absence. Eventually, the simple task of walking down the stairs no longer seemed impossible and I forced myself to make an appearance in the living room, if only to show my friends that I was still breathing.

As the crisp fall air took hold in Albuquerque I returned to school, knowing that I needed to get back to class if I had any hope of making passing grades for the first marking period. Aside from allowing me to hit the books once again my return to East High gave Kadi her routine back; a feeble attempt to temper the tremendous upheaval in her life over the previous months. Each morning I would carry her into Miss Amy's room and leave her with a kiss and she would play with her friends until I finished basketball practice. On game nights Ryan would pick her up and bring her to watch us play; but not before he had changed her into the miniature Wildcats jersey she'd gotten for Christmas the year before and painted red and white paws on her cheeks with paint he'd stolen from the Drama Club prop closet. Everyone in the gym knew whose child she was; if her outfit didn't give her away, the near constant glances I would cast in her direction just to see her smile from Ryan's lap blew her cover.

_Her smiles were the only thing that kept me going when life became too much to handle. As long as I could see that grin all was right with the world again. _

I was jolted from my memories of those turbulent months by Sharpay's soft voice. "Troy, are you going to be okay?"

I nodded, but made no attempt to move. I had no idea how long we'd been sitting like this but I knew I couldn't bring myself to face reality quite yet.

"Just one more minute, Shar" I pleaded, "please."

She smiled, stroking my hair gently with the hand that wasn't resting on my stomach. "Take as long as you need, sweetie" she whispered "we don't have to move until you're ready."

_My savior. _

There was something about the touch of my best friend that had the power to take me from a crying mess to completely relaxed in a matter of minutes. Before long I finally gathered the courage to leave the sanctuary of her lap. As I walked toward the door of my bedroom, the sound of Kadi's laughter hysterical laughter drifted up from the living room. I shot a curious look in Sharpay's direction and she grinned.

"Let's go see what kind of trouble your angelic daughter has gotten into now, shall we?"

I laughed, following her down the stairs. A moment later she stopped, my body almost knocking her over as I tried to react to the sudden movement.

"Shar, what the…"

I stopped, words escaping me as I followed her gaze to the TV. The image that befell my eyes nearly made me stop breathing. There, on the screen was Gabi and I during rehearsals for the sophomore year winter musical: RENT. Memories of that time accosted my mind as I reached once again for Sharpay's hand, if only to ensure that I didn't miss a step and tumble down the stairs as I stared at my angel's beautiful face.

_I don't think any amount of physical pain could remotely compare to how much my heart hurts at this moment. Oh Gabi, I miss you so much!_

Once our feet were firmly planted on solid ground, thanks in no small part to Sharpay practically dragging me down the staircase she lead me over to the couch and sat me down between Kelsi and Ryan. Motioning with her eyes, she glanced at the recliner across the room and mouthed 'I'll be right here' before going to sit down. I nodded, my eyes immediately focusing on the scenes playing out on the TV. Seeing them brought back so many memories; some so vivid that it felt like we were still in the middle of rehearsal. The musical had been uncharacteristically difficult that year; RENT was extremely controversial and the school board balked at the idea of such a 'prestigious institution' like East High putting it on. But, with some hardcore lobbying from Ms. Darbus and plenty of whining from Ryan and Sharpay the show went on. I had been cast as Roger while Gabriella won the coveted role of Mimi; Ryan played Mark while Sharpay, always typecast as the villain, portrayed the much-hated Maureen. The DVD we were watching was courtesy of Chad who, with his hatred of musicals behind him, had decided that he wanted to do a documentary of sorts that captured everything from casting to the final curtain. Ms. Darbus loved the idea; quickly supplying him with a camera and enough tape to preserve countless hours of preparation…we knew early on that this musical was going to be hell.

When Chad wasn't filming the onstage happenings he often disappeared behind the curtain to capture the behind-the-scenes action; namely Taylor entertaining Kadi while we rehearsed. She was barely six months old when we started getting ready for the musical and Gabi and I couldn't fathom the thought of being away from her during the long hours of practice so Taylor had agreed to watch her backstage every night until we were finished. I never found out what they did back there; I had sneaking suspicions that Taylor read her the dictionary or the newspaper but I never had any proof. Judging from the happy squeals that would sometimes drift to my ears during a scene I knew my girl was in capable hands.

I hadn't realized that I was no longer watching the TV until a hearty laugh from Taylor and a chorus of "I love this part!" broke me from my thoughts.

_Apparently I'm the only one who hasn't seen this before. I'm scared, who knows what kind of footage he took with that camera when he wasn't under the watchful eye of Darbus. _

I forced myself to look at the TV, seeing Chad squirm and blush out of the corner of my eye as I slid down the couch to get a better view.

_Oh this is gonna be good! If Mr. 'I Don't Get Embarrassed' is as red as a tomato this has to be classic._

Chad's Point of View

I was sitting on the couch next to Taylor admiring my handiwork on the documentary when I heard a laugh from the seat beside me as everyone, sans Troy, uttered the four words that made me want to disappear under the couch. "I love this part!"

_Aww hell, I was hoping they'd forgotten about seeing this already but apparently I can't be that lucky. Damn it. _

Flashback

Music from the RENT soundtrack reverberated through the theater as I stood on the stage; the camera was perched in my right hand as I documented yet another rehearsal for the winter musical. It was early November, practice had been in full swing for nearly a month already and Ms. Darbus was in panic mode, wanting to impress the school board and show them that she could turn a controversial piece into theatrical magic. The hours had been long and the work tiring. _And I was just holding a camera. _But I'd been there for everything; every off-key note, every Darbus outburst when things didn't go by the book, every protest from Sharpay when she felt that her character was being ignored. Everything.

_God I'm exhausted! Is it December yet?_

Not satisfied with the angle I was getting from my spot on stage I walked into the middle, hoping to get a better shot of Troy and Gabriella as they worked on the sequence for Light My Candle. As I got closer to them, a shrill scream from Ms. Darbus, who was watching from the front row of seats, made me stop in my tracks.

"Mr. Danforth, you're interrupting the flow of the scene" she warned, "Move!"

_Yes Your Honor, ma'am. I should totally be getting paid for this! Ugh. _

Scared by her outburst, I shrunk back; motioning with my finger to the curtain to let her know that I'd gotten enough footage for the day and would be spending the rest of practice backstage. _Solitude. _

I disappeared behind the red velvet curtain; leaving the camera on so I get some filler footage to add into the finished DVD. Taylor was sitting comfortably in a chair, reading to Kadi who was sitting contentedly in her lap. As I came into her line of sight, she smiled.

"Darbus kick you out again?" she inquired.

I groaned, shooting a glare in her direction . "No, I walked out this time" I started "but that woman is a monster."

She laughed, motioning for me to come over to the chair she was sitting in. When I got closer she grinned sweetly at me.

_Crap! She only gives me that look when she wants something...oh no!_

"Trade ya" she said, pointing to the camera and lifting Kadi from her lap.

I laughed. "Uh uh, I believe you were hired as the babysitter, I'm just the camera guy."

_Oh if looks could kill we'd be having my funeral right now. Ouch. _

"Please!" she pleaded, sticking her lip out in the signature McKessie pout. "Someone's been clingy today and I haven't been able to put her down since we got here."

I sighed knowing I could never resist that pout. "Fine, but you so owe me!"

She giggled, placing Kadi in my arms and taking the camera from my hand. As I lowered myself into the chair, she backed up and pointed the camera toward us, capturing this quiet moment between a baby and her uncle. Meanwhile, Kadi cooed happily from my lap, her hand immediately reaching toward my hair. Despite my attempts to swat her tiny hand away she reached her goal, her delicate fingers intertwining in my curls.

"Owww!" I yelped "Son of a bi—"

"Chad!" Taylor scolded, peeking out from behind the camera "not in front of the baby!"

"Sorry" I said, guiding Kadi's hand away and rubbing my throbbing scalp, "but that really hurt."

No sooner had I returned the offending hand to her lap, Kadi was at it again grabbing stray pieces of hair that were resting on my forehead.

"Tay" I whined "make her stop!"

She laughed. "She's six months old Chad…somehow I doubt she'll listen when I tell her to stop playing with your hair." she said matter of factly, "besides you're the one who refuses to tame that monstrosity on your head so you won't get sympathy from me."

_Girlfriends..who needs 'em? And my hair is sweet, thankyouverymuch. _

I grabbed a hold of Kadi's hand and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Sweetie, you can't do that…that hurts Uncle Chad."

She just giggled, obviously pleased with herself.

_Figures. She loves torturing me as much as her father does. Just wait until she gets a little older...I'll teach her ways to drive Troy nuts. Oh sweet revenge!_

Once Kadi's giggling stopped, the room fell silent; I sat enjoying the peace and quiet as Taylor continued to tape. My solitude ended a few minutes later as an ear-splitting scream emanated from the tiny girl on my lap. I rose gingerly from the chair, swaying back and forth as I walked in an attempt to soothe her cries. I walked the same pattern for half an hour, having stopped only to check her diaper and try to feed her a bottle. Nothing was working and my ears were begging for a reprieve from the deafening sound.

I turned to Taylor, defeated. "Maybe we should take her to Troy and Gabi" I reasoned "she obviously needs something we can't give her."

"We can't" she said, "they're in the middle of a scene, Darbus would kill us."

I sighed, but my eyes lit up as an idea popped into my head. Walking over to the curtain that hid us from the stage I found Ryan waiting in the wings to rehearse a scene with Sharpay, who was still off in the makeup room. When I reached his side he eyed me curiously, opening his arms immediately. Placing Kadi in them I mouthed a silent 'thank you' and took a seat in the chair opposite his.

"What's wrong, baby" he cooed, "What's got you so sad?"

I watched as he rocked her back and forth in his arms just as I had done minutes earlier, stunned when her screams were replaced by small cries as he allowed her to suck on his index finger.

He smiled, running his finger gently along her gums and eliciting another unhappy scream. "I think I feel a tooth!" he exclaimed, kissing her cheek, "oh sweetheart, no wonder you were crying…I'll bet that hurts, huh."

_Ok, I officially feel like an idiot. Why didn't I think of that?_

Standing up from his chair, Ryan parted the curtain and walked onstage. At the sound of Kadi's whimpers infiltrated the scene, Ms. Darbus looked up in anger as Troy and Gabriella cast a concerned glance in the direction of their daughter.

"Is that a cell phone!" Darbus bellowed "how many times do I have to tell you--?"

Ryan cut her off. "No ma'am" he said, motioning with his eyes to Kadi, "I was wondering if I could be excused from the rest of practice…the princess needs some attention."

She scoffed and glared but shooed him backstage with a swat of her hand; immediately resuming the scene they had been perfecting before the interruption. Ryan returned to the seat he had vacated moments earlier and continued to work his magic. Leaning down, he kissed Kadi's forehead and talked soothingly to her in an effort to stop the whimpers coming from her lips.

"Ms. Darbus is mean, isn't she baby" he whispered "trying to keep me away from my girl…how dare she?"

Within minutes, her eyes gently closed as she found peaceful sleep in his arms.

_So much for my campaign for Uncle of The Year. He's a miracle worker, that Ryan. _

End Flashback

I smiled at the memory, joining in the laughter that filled the room as the scene ended but feeling a tinge of sadness as a realization landed on my heart. Gabi had never gotten a chance to see the sweet moment we had just witnessed. I had finished the DVD during the middle of sophomore year but it had gotten lost in my room before I had a chance to make copies. The night of the attacks, long after Troy and Kadi had succumbed to sleep, Sharpay, Taylor, Ryan, Kelsi, and I remained downstairs talking and sharing memories of the girl we all loved so much. Ryan was inconsolable, sobbing and screaming against Kelsi as the reality that he would never again see his best friend in this life finally hit him. Knowing that seeing pictures and video of Gabi might bring him some comfort, Sharpay asked me to go get the DVD's of the musicals. I'd gladly obliged, running home and grabbing my copies of _Bye Bye Birdie _and _Grease. _As I removed _Grease _from its spot in my cabinet, my eyes fell on an unmarked DVD case. I quickly popped it into my DVD player and grinned as the title flashed across the screen. _RENT: Behind the Scenes_.

Glancing up toward Heaven, I laughed softly. _Thanks for the sign, Gabi. Please watch over us…we're all lost without you sweetheart. _

By the time I returned to Troy's Ryan had at least stopped screaming; he was sitting in Sharpay's lap, her head resting on his shoulder as he continued to sob into her shirt. I walked over to the DVD player and stuck the long-lost disc inside. Sharpay smiled gratefully at me as the title appeared. This was Ryan's favorite.

"Look at the TV, Ry" Sharpay whispered, "look what Chad brought."

He just sobbed harder, not moving his head from the safe haven he'd found against her chest. Cupping his chin, she gently forced him to look at the TV and he quieted almost instantly as his eyes focused, mesmerized by the sight he saw on the screen.

" My Gabi." was all he said; his voice was childlike and soft, barely audible despite the silence of the room.

Sharpay smiled sadly and placed a kiss in his blonde hair, pleased that her idea had worked to calm him. Eventually I saw him go limp in her arms, his head flopping onto her shoulder. Sleep had finally come to grant him a short reprieve from his sorrow.

Troy's Point of View

As the scene ended of the DVD ended I cast a curious glance over at Chad, who at the moment, appeared to be lost in his own thoughts. I had no intention of letting him live this down.

_Let the teasing begin. _

I cleared my throat, breaking Chad from his thoughts and causing everyone else to look at me expectantly.

I laughed. "Nice babysitting skills, dude."

He put his hands up defensively, glaring at me. "Hey, how was I supposed to know" he asked "I didn't have any experience with babies."

Taylor was quiet beside him but as she spoke there was no mistaking what she'd said. "Well you better learn fast."

Five heads whipped around to stare at her, our brains still trying to grasp her admission. The look on Chad's face was absolutely priceless, somewhere between pure shock and deer-in-headlights syndrome.

"W-what?" he stammered.

She laughed, hitting him lightly on the side of his head. "And here I thought Sharpay and Ryan were the blonde ones" she started "I'm pregnant, Chad."

He just sat there for a second, not moving a muscle. Finally coming to his senses, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her, earning a chorus of groans from those of us who were forced to watch the mini-makeout session.

Kadi eyed me curiously from her spot on Ryan's lap. "Daddy" she said, pointing at Chad and Taylor "is that how babies get here?"

_Oh I'm gonna kill him! I wasn't planning on having this conversation until she was at least thirty. _

I laughed, taking her from Ryan and placing her in my lap. "We'll talk about that in a few years, sweetpea."

She nodded. "Daddy?"

"What baby?"

"Since Chad and Taylor are having a baby, what will it be to me" she asked "I know it won't be my brother or my sister…but what will it be?"

I smiled at her innocence. "Well, Since Chad and Taylor are your aunt and uncle; this baby will be your cousin" I started "you get to play with her and dress her in pretty clothes."

She grinned, obviously satisfied with my explanation. "Oh ok, that sounds neat."

Our conversation ended as Sharpay clapped her hands. "Well, with this exciting news it seems that a mall trip might be in order."

_No! I hate the mall! Ugh. _

We arrived twenty minutes later, Sharpay practically dragging us in the direction of Gymboree. As the colorful sign came into view I felt my breath catch in my throat as I remembered all the times Gabi and I had shopped here before Kadi was born. I couldn't bring myself to cross the threshold of the store; instead I stood choking back a sob as I watched everyone talk and admire the cute clothes. I felt the blood drain from my face as a terrifying thought crossed my mind .

_I may never get to shop for another baby. _

I could no longer breathe. I just couldn't fathom the idea that my precious girl could possibly be an only child; I never imagined when I was 15 that Kadi's arrival might be the only time I experienced the euphoria that came with childbirth. _It's not fair!_

Sharpay glanced up at me from a rack nearby, the dress in her hand forgotten as soon as she caught sight of my pale face. Depositing the dress back on the rack she walked over and took my hand, resting it securely in her own.

"Memories?" she asked softly.

I nodded, biting my lip to prevent the tears in my eyes from falling. "Yeah."

She smiled, pulling me close for a quick hug. "I know what you're thinking, Troy" she whispered against my shoulder "it'll happen, don't worry…you're gonna have a house full of little Bolton's someday."

I sighed and leaned further into her embrace. _I hope you're right, Shar. God, I hope you're right. _

We left the store a few minutes later, our growling stomachs begging to be fed. After a quick discussion, we decided to skip our tradition of eating at a fancy restaurant in favor of indulging in some dinner from the food court. We talked and laughed as we ate, catching each other up on the happenings in our lives; focusing on the small stuff that had been forgotten as we commemorated the event that changed us all.

By the time we got home from the mall darkness was falling over Albuquerque. I sighed, the moment I had been dreading was quickly approaching…the goodbyes. Ryan carried Kadi into the house, the rest of us following close behind him. He sat Kadi on the couch, slinging his arm across her shoulder as he sat down beside her. We talked for another half hour but as the clock struck nine I knew the time had come. Taylor spoke up first.

"Well Chad and I better get going" she said, "we have a long day tomorrow."

I nodded, silently thanking her uttering the words that I couldn't muster. I stood, walking over to the door, hugging each of my best friends in turn. Kadi did the same from her refuge in Ryan's arms. She was fine…until she realized that he was the only one left to say goodbye to.

He pulled her close and her arms immediately snaked around his neck, her head going to his shoulder. "Bye sweetheart." he whispered. I could hear his voice breaking as he spoke.

"No!" she sobbed, balling the fabric of his shirt in her small hands. "Uncle Ryan I don't want you to go."

"I know baby, I don't want to leave either" whispered, rubbing her back soothingly, "but I have to go visit Grandma and Grandpa Evans."

Her next plea broke my heart. "Can I come?" Ever since she was a baby, Ryan and Sharpay's parents had treated her like their own grandchild and she adored them.

Ryan met my eyes and I nodded, knowing what his question was going to be before he even got the chance to ask it.

"No sweetheart, you have school tomorrow" he replied "But guess what?"

She whimpered. "What?"

"You know how you have that fall break from school coming up soon?"

She nodded against his shoulder. "Y-yeah."

"Well I talked to Daddy and he's gonna let you come visit Aunt Shar and me in New York for your break." he said "I took the whole week off work so we can explore the city and see a musical."

She sniffled, raising her head slightly. "Which one?"

He laughed, tapping her nose. "I'm not telling, it's a surprise!"

She hugged him tighter, a small smile gracing her features. "Thank you Uncle Ryan, I love you."

He grinned and turned his head to kiss her tearstained cheek. "Anything for my girl" he said softly "I love you sweetheart."

With her crying reduced to small whimpers he walked over, letting me take her tiny body from his arms. I held her as we watched him follow Sharpay and the others down the steps. He looked back briefly and Kadi blew him a kiss, which he promptly caught and returned with a smile.

"You'll see him again soon, baby" I whispered "C'mon let's get you to bed…I'll bet you're tired.

She shook her head but I could see right through her façade. _My princess was exhausted. _

I sent her upstairs and when I joined her a few minutes later she was sitting in my bed, her pink reading glasses perched on her nose as she devoured yet another _Babysitters Club _book. Ever since that fateful Tuesday night we'd made a tradition of snuggling together on the night of each anniversary. Often, she fell asleep as we cuddled and after a few years I had given up my attempts to put her in her own bed after she found dreamland, if only because I needed her nearby as I tried to reach slumber. Laying down on my side of the bed I watched her do the same, her eyes closing almost as soon as her brown hair hit the pillow. She reached for me and I took her hand, our intertwined fingers resting on top of Spot, who occupied his normal juncture at her side. For awhile I watched her sleep, letting my mind wander back to the moment when Gabi first told me she was pregnant. I found myself wondering if she somehow knew that we wouldn't grow old together…maybe that's why she fought so hard to keep me in the baby's life when I had initially resisted. To save me.

_Thank you for giving me Kadi, Gabs…I can't live without her. She's growing up so fast, can you do somethin' about that?_

Willing thoughts of the future to leave my head I closed my eyes, basking in the silence. At the moment I was grateful for my precious daughter; grateful for the friends that had held me up at my lowest point. But, most of all, I was grateful to have simply survived another anniversary of the day my world stopped.

**A/N: And there you have it, **_**The Day The World Stopped. **_**It's been a wild ride but I have loved every minute of it; I hope you guys enjoyed the story as much as I enjoyed writing it. I am putting out another Reviewer's Challenge asking my faithful readers to share their favorite moment, scene, or quote from the story. I'd really love to know what you liked about this piece. Of course, regular reviews are always welcome as well. **

**And now for the big announcement: Thanks to some encouragement from a friend, there will be a sequel to **_**The Day The World Stopped. **_**It probably won't be posted anytime soon; the story is still writing itself in my head…plus I have to become a big girl now and look for a job so that will severely limit my writing time. Nevertheless, a sequel is in the works and I will keep you posted on any new developments. Thanks so much guys, you're the best! Keep those reviews coming!**


	9. Sequel Information

Hello to all my faithful readers:

I know that some of you probably thought I decided to add another chapter to this piece when you got the 'New Chapter' alert. Sorry to disappoint you, but I figured I'd be nice and post some information about the sequel. I usually don't like it when authors do this but since you have all been so great in terms of reading and reviewing, I figured you deserved at least a teaser…so here you go! Enjoy!

The story will be called _When Fate Intervenes_. This is the summary I've come up with at this point but it might change as the story progresses. With the 5th anniversary of 9/11 behind them, Troy that life will return to normal for he and Kadi. But fate has other plans.

Secretive I know, but I can't give everything away or else no one would read. Writing on this piece will begin after the first of the year. I'm currently fighting with a Tryan plot bunny that has formed in my head and I want to get that written before I begin work on this so I can do the sequel justice. In the meantime if you're bored and a fan of the Tryan pairing I've got two Tryan's posted that might interest you.

Thank you all for being such faithful readers and reviewers; you sure know how to make a writer feel good!

WriterOnWheels


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